Game apparatus



NOV. 20 1923. 1,474,488

J. NELSON GAME Arman-n5 I Filed 'June' 9. 1922 Patented Nov. 20, 1923.

JOHN NELSON, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, essrenon or oNE-nALnTo nnnnsr ANDERSON,

. oFoHIcA'Go, ILLINOIS. V

GAME APPARATUS.

. Application filed June 9,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHX NnLsoN, a citi-' Zen of the United States,'and a'resident of Chicago, Cook County, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful- Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is declared to "be a full, clear,

and exact description.

This invention relates to game apparatus, and its principal object is to provide an improved game apparatus of that type in which is employed a rotating disc or wheel, in connection with a pan or bowl like member.

One object of the present invention is to provide a game apparatus of this type, which shall possess attractive and interesting qualities, and which shall provide entertainment for the home and social gatherings.

Another object is to provide a game ap paratus in which both the disc and pan rotate, the one member rotating in one direction and the other member rotating in the reverse direction. Another object is to pro vide means, between the disc or wheel and pan or bowl for transmitting the rotary movement from one to the other but in the reverse direction. Another object is to reduee friction between the moving parts, to practically eliminate noise and vibration, and to simplify the construction of, and arrangement of the parts.

With these and other objects and advan tages in view, this invention consists in a game apparatus, comprising'reversely rotating co-operative disc and panv members, the both rotating about a common axis, and motion transmitting elements between said members. It further consists in a game ap paratus comprisingreversely rotating disc and pan members, one located above the other, and both rotating about a common axis, and motion transmitting balls between said disc and pan.- It further consists in a game apparatus, employing reversely rotating disc and pan members, having means for eliminating noise and reducing friction between rotating parts. It further consists in the several novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which: ,7

Fig. 1 is a plan, partly broken away, of

1922. Serial No. 566,964.

ofthe present invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section thereof taken inline 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a ball retainer used in the apparatus, and Fig.

' a game apparatus embodying a simple forrfi is a detail vertical section taken on line of Fig. 1.

Referring to said drawing, which illustrates one embodiment of the invention, the

reference character 5 designates a base which may have any desirable shape and'is preferably formed of wood or other strong light.

material. Secured to said base 5 and extending up therefrom isa pin or stud 6, pref-v erably formed with a coned end 7 and rotatively supported by said pin or stud 6','is a disc or wheel assembly 8, and a pan or bowl like member 9 the disc or wheel assembly being directly supported by the pin 6, and the pan or bowl like member 9, beingsupported by the disc or wheel assembly 8.

In its preferred form the disc or wheel assembly comprises a disc or wheel 10,

forinedwith a comparatively thin web portion 11, and a thickened peripheral portion 12. A hub portion 13, is formed at the-center of the disc and is secured upon a hub portion 14 formed on a pan driving member 15, the latter being in the form of a disc or plate which is preferably let into a recess 16 formed in the upper face of the base 5. The hub portion 14L has a central bore 17 into which the pin or stud 6 extends, and at the s top of the bore is a conedseat 18 that rests on the coned end of the pin 6. The disc or wheel 10 rests on a shoulder 19, formed on the hub portion 14, and is secured on said shoulder by aninternally threaded collar 20 which is secured upon a threaded portion 21 of the hub 14 and bears. against the top of the'hub 13 of the disc or wheel 10.

From-the above it is apparent that the disc or wheel 10 and pan rotating member 15 are rigidly secured together so as to move in unison. V 'lnterposed between the pan driving member 15 and pan 9, are motion transmitting and reversing members, here shown as comprising a plurality of balls 22, preferably formed of steel, and confined against bodily movement, bya ball retaining member 23,v

which may'comprise a flat ring formed with equidistant apertures 24, (of slightly greater diameter than the diameter of the balls) in which the balls 22 are placed. .The ball re i taining member 23, is secured to the base by 7 screws 25 or otherwise and is located ap proximately midwaybetween the upper face of the pan driving member 15, and bottom face of the pan 9. To reduce the amount of vertical play between the ring 23 and pan driving member 15, the latter maybe formed with a raised portion that is arranged to strike against the underside of the'ri-ng -The pan or bowl like member 9 is preferably formed of sheet metaland has a flat bottom portion 26'which underlies the disc or wheel and is curved upwardly at its margin to form a rim or marginal flange 27 Its extreme edge portion is curled to present a smooth rounded edge. Thev pan bottom is centrally apertured and is formed with a down turned flange 31 at said aperture,

which surrounds the hub portion 14 of the a pan driving member and rotatively connects the pan with the hub portion 14 thereof.

F or the purpose of stiffening the bottom 26 and for securing in place a silencing device two concentric downwardly pressed beads 28, the bottom of the pan is formed with 29, between which is placed the silencing device 28, wh ch may comprise a washer or ring of fibre or other cushioning material.

If desired the fibre ring may be left'loose between the beads 29, 30, or it may be adhesively secured tothe bottom of the pan at two or more places but it is preferred not 'to' glue the entire face of thering to the pan, because the' noise is not so effectively silenced thereby, as is the case when the ring is left free or 1s secured thereto only in spots. The ring 28 frictionally contactswith the underside of the pan bottom and rests on the balls 22. It is evident that whenever the disc. or wheel 10 is spun or rotated and the pan driving member is .thereby rotated, the balls 22 will be rotated lween small upright beads or ribs 33 and on the disc adJa-cent said pockets 32 are placed;

characters, such as numbers and symbols which indicate values. is. small ball, or a.

- spherical or many sided body 34 is employed in playing the game, and said ball is contamed in the annular space between the edge of the disc andrim' of the pan. The rim inclines toward the bottom of the discs, whereby the tendency for the ball or other 7 object 34 is to find itsway into one of the pockets 32 of the disc 10. 1 The annular trough around the disc may be divided into a plurality of distinct sections 'or spaces 23 to prevent the escape of the balls, in case thedisc or wheel assembly is lifted off its seat on the pin 6.

which maybe colored differently, for instance one or more may be colored red,

others green, and others black. For the pur- Y pose of definitely"dividing the'colored spaces from each other, so as to prevent the ball from lodging on'a line dividing one space from' another, the metal ofthe pan bottom, at said dividing linesis raised slightly as at 35 thereby forming small ridges at said dividinglines. Itisobvious that the ball can remain at rest only on one or the other side of a ridge, whereby it, may never stop on a dividing line between thefcolored spaces. f V

For thepurposes of playing the game, a

color dial 3 6 and indicators 37, 38 are used,

which indicators may be adjustedtodesighate the color or colors selected by the player to win. The dial is centrally apertured and is secured upon the collar 20 and rotates Y with the disc 10, and the indicators are re tatively mounted on a stem 40 which projects up from the collar, and extends through the dial and indicators. Between thedial and lower indicator, and between the indicators and above the upper one are washers 41 which are non-rotatively mounted on the stem 40 as for instance by providing fiat portions on the stem and aper-' tures of the washer. On the upper end of the stem is secured a knob 42 and between the knob and upper washer is inserted a resilient member 43 such as a coiled compression spring which frictionally holds the i indicators against accidental rotation rela tive to the stem, but permits the'indicators to be turned at will. The dial is, divided into sections or spaces corresponding in colors to the colors on the pan. e

In some cases it is preferred to provide a frame 43 around the pan, whereby the latter may be enclosed'on its sides- .Nhen frame is used a beador rib is formed on its upper inner marginv and overhangs the edge of the pan. The frame is. not essential. but it prevents the ball from being thrown out and adds to the appearance of thedevic'e.

In operation the knob 42 is twirled in either direction and the disc 10 is thereby directly spun or rapidly rotated in the same direction, and because of the motion trans mitting and'reversingconnection between and rebounds between their edges, and travels with one and the other as the disc finally lodges in one disc. r V The game is played with" any kind of tokens, and in playing the game a player ofthe pockets 33 of the tative 'force of the disc and pan and bounds;

andpan come toa position of rest the ball 7 sets one indicator at a color on the dial corresponding to the color on the pan, where he thinks the ball will finally come to a position of rest after the disc has been spun around. He'may also set the other indicator at a color on the dial corresponding with a color on the-pan where he thinks the ball will not finally stop. Ifthe ball stops on the color selected to win he takes as many tokens as is indicated by the character at the pocket in. which the ball finally lodges. If the ball stops on a color corresponding to the one chosen as the one where the ball will not stop, the. player forfeits the number of tokens indicated by the character at the pocket in which the ball finally lodges.

More or less variation of the exact details of construction is possible without departing from the spirit of this invention; I desire, therefore, not to limit myself to the exact form of they construction shown and described, but intend, in the following claims to point out all of the invention dis-. closed herein.

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A game apparatus comprising a rotatory disc, a rotary pan mounted coaxially therewith, and motion transmitting, pan

supporting balls secured against bodily movement and interposed between said disc and pan.

2. A game apparatus comprising a rotatory driving disc, a rotatory pan there below, mounted coaxially therewith, a pan driving member connected with. said disc, and mo tion transmitting and reversing ball memberssecured against bodily movement and interposed between said pan driving mem-v ber and pan.

3. A game apparatus comprising a rotatory disc, a rotatory pan there below, mounted coaxially therewith, a pan driving and supporting member operatively con nected with the disc, and located below said pan, balls interposed between and contacting with said pan and pan supporting member, and a stationary ball spacing member.

4. A game apparatus comprising a rotatory disc, a rotatory pan therebelow mounted coaxially therewith, a pan driving member connected with said disc, and underlying said pan, motion transmitting and reversing balls interposed between and con tacting with said pan'and pan driving mem her, and a stationary ball spacing member.

5. A game apparatus comprising a rotatory, peripherally notched disc, a rotatory pan therebelow having an upturned rim surrounding said disc arranged to retain a movable body, a pan driving member connected with said disc,and pan-rotating elements interposed between said pan and pan driving member.

6i A- game apparatus comprising a rotatory, peripherallynotched disc, a pan driving member therebelow and secured thereto, pan driving balls resting on said pan driving member, apball retainin'gmemher for. holdingsaid balls against bodily movement, and a rotatory. pan underneath Y driving connection between said pan driving member and pan, and a ball spacer for holding said balls against bodily movement. 8. A gameapparatus comprising a base, a

supporting pin secured thereto, a peripher-.

ally notched disc rotatively mounted (on ,said pin, a pan supporting member secured to said disc, a rotatory pan underneath said disc having an upturned rim surrounding said disc,.pan supporting balls interposed between and contacting with said pan supporting member and pan, and a stationary ball spacing member.

9. A game apparatus comprising a base, a supporting pin secured thereto, a peripherally notched disc rotatively mounted on said pin, a pan supporting member having a hub surrounding said pin and secured to said disc, a pan rotatively journaledon said hub and having a rim surrounding said disc, balls resting on said pan supporting member and forming supports and driving means for said pan, and a ball spacer in which said balls arerotatively secured.

10. A game apparatus comprising a base, a pin secured thereto, a disc assembly rotatively mounted on said pin and comprising 1 a disc and a pan'driving member, a pan revolubly secured on said disc assembly, and

having a rim surrounding the disc, and spaced balls resting on said pan driving member and supporting said pan.

l1. Ina game apparatus, a rotatory disc, a rotatory pantherebelow, a' pan driving member connected with said disc, a silencing ring on the underside of the pan, motion transmitting and reversing balls interposed between said pan driving member and ring,

and a stationary ball spacing member.

said disc and resting upon said balls, said" pan hav ng an upturnedrim surround ng 12. In a game apparatus, a rotatory disc, V a rotatory pan therebelow formed with con'-- centric downwardly pressed annular beads in its bottom, a fibre ring held against the lower face of said bottom. between. said beads, a pan driving element secured to said disc, balls interposed between said ring and pan drlvingmember, and a stationary, ball spacing member. 1

to and extending up from said disc, a dial mounted, relatively rotatable disc and pan 13. In a game apparatus, coaxially members, a dial connected with the disc, said pan member and dial having corresponding indicating'charactersthereon, an indicator rotatively mounted on said disc, a knob Con? nected to said disc and a compression member between said indicator and knob.

; '14. Ina game apparatus, relatively rotatable disc and pan members, a stem secured secured against rotation on said stem, said pan member and dial having corresponding indicating characters, indicators rotatively mounted on said stem, Washers above and below said indicators, a knob secured on the end of said stem, and a compression memtransmitting pan supportingballs, secured against bodily movement, and interposed between said disc andpan.

JOHN NELSON. 

